Well flowing and pumping mechanism



y ,1 7 R. c. WILLIAMSON 1,959,55

WELL FLOWING AND PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 5; INVENTOR 1.: 5 55 -R C.WILLIAM80N.

' ATTORNEY. v

y R. c. WILLIAMSON 1,959,559

WELL FLOWING AND PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 fl j f? IN l EN TOR R.C.WILLIAM80N Patented 'May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to pressure flow or pumping mechanism for oil wells and the like, and more particularly to a plurality of cylindrical units disposed at various elevations in the well 5 tubing and coacting with the gas or air pressure of the well for stage lifting of the fluid of the well. The object is to provide mechanism which is positive in operation and more efficient in creating a low gas oil ratio. Another object is to provide mechanism for this purpose which is automatic in operation, simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture.

An advantage of this invention is that the various units are so arranged as to insure a per- 315 feet control of the pressure above the fluid level of the well. Another advantage of this mechanism is that each unit is so constructed as to automatically open and close the pressure to its individual column of fluid to be lifted independent of each of the other units. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a well provided with a plurality of flow units placed at various elevations in the delivery tube.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the action of 30 the various units during the stage lift ofthe fluid of the well.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the units, showing the pressure ports open.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing resilient means 35 for normally holding the ports closed.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of one of the units showing a variation in the installation of the resilient means for controlling the pressure to the tubing.

. Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

; The device consists of a plurality of units having a body 1 which consist of collars adapted to serve as joints in the tubing 4 of the 'well at various elevations therein. Each unit consists of fluid valve 2 having a cage 3slidably mounted 0 in the body 1 and adapted to control the flow of pressure into the tubing 4 of the well. The casing 5 of the well is sealed at the top so as to retain the natural pressure of the well between the casing 5 and the tubing 4. Provision is made 5 for forcing gas or air into the top of the well around the tubing so that the pressure may be used to lift the column of liquid above each of the units or from one unit to and through the next unit.

The body or collar 1 of the unit is threaded at each end and adapted to act as a union for the sections of the tubing 4 of the well. Intermediate the threaded ends of the body 1 is placed a fluid valve 2 which controls the fluid movement in the tubing and means cooperating with the valve for controlling the pressure so that at a predetermined time the pressure may be admitted into' the tubing 4 for lifting the fluid. The valve 2, in this instance, is a ball valve provided with a reversible seat 6 rigidly carried in a traveling cage 3. The cage 3 is slidably mounted in the body 1 so that it will act to control the inlet of the pressure to the tubing 4. The cage 3 is provided with solid side walls, a perforated top for the passage of the fluid therethrough, and an open bottom. The bottom of the cage 3 is internally threaded and adapted to receive and carry a spreader member '7, the base of which is bell shaped to permit the passage of the fluid therethrough with the least amount of friction. The threaded portion of the cage 3 is of relatively larger diameter than the diameter of the upper bore which carries the valve ball 2. This provides an internal annular shoulder 7 in the cage 3 which serves to position the valve seat 6.

The valve seat 6 is provided with an external annular rim 8 intermediate the ends thereof which is adapted to fit against the shoulder 7 of the cage 3. A choke 9 is screwed into the lower end of the cage 3 to serve as a seat for the valve seat 6 and act as a retainer for the seat 6. The choke 9 is interposed between the valve seat 6 and the bell shaped member 7.

The choke 9 consists of an elongated cylindrical member, the bore of which may vary in the various units placed in the well. Each choke 9 is exteriorly threaded the greater portion of its upper length so that it may be securely screwed into the cage 3. The base of the choke or its lower end is smaller in its outer diameter so that it will fit into the inner periphery of the bell shaped member 7' and this portion is provided with an interior flanged opening 10 so that the fluid passing through the member 7 will be gradually decreased without unduejriction due to the bore of the choke. The difference in the outer diameter of the bottom and top of the choke 9 provides a shoulder 11 which is engaged'by the top of the member '7' when this member is in its correct position in the cage 3.

The cage 3 is provided with an exterior annu-' lar rim 12 integral therewith which is adapted to control the extent of the reciprocation of the cage 3 within the body 1. The interior of the body 1, adjacent the upper threaded portion, is of relatively smaller diameter than the diameter of the body of the cage 3 which serves as a shoulder or stop13 for the upward movement of the cage 3. The body 1 is provided with a bore below the shoulder or stop 13, of suflicient diameter to accurately lit the outer diameter of the cage 3 so that the cage may have suflicient bearing surface 14 for its reciprocation therein. The body is. providedwith a bore 15, below the surface 14, of still larger diameter and of sumcient extent to permit the reciprocation of the annular rim 12 of the cage 3. This surface 15 provides a shoulder 16, adjacent the base of the bore 14, which serves as a stop for the rim 12 in conjunction with the stop 13 for the cage 3, on its upward movement in the body 1 of the unit, so that both the rim 12 and the top of the cage 3 will simultaneously contact with their respective shoulders 16 and 13. A seat 1'1 is screwed into the body 1 so that it will limit the downward movement of the cage 3 which acts as a seat for the rim 12 of the cage. A lock washer 18 may be screwed into the body 1 against the seat 1'7 to insure stability of the seat 17. One or more ports 19 may be horizontally drilled through the sides of the body 1 of the units so that pressure from the casing 5 may be admitted into the tubing 4 of the well. These ports register with the bore 14 of the body 1 above the top of the cage 3 when the same is at its lower extremity in the body.

This structure permits an action within the well which will cause a pumping or a stage lift of the fluid by utilizing the natural or artificial pressure power carried in the casing 5 of the well. The valve 2 and its cage 3 acts as a check valve for .the fluid. When the tubing 4 with its plurality of units are lowered into the well the fluid will float each valve 2 and its cage 3 until the fluid has filled the delivery pipe or tubing up to its normal level in the well. When the tubing 4 is filling and the cages 3 are floating in their respective units the pressure of the easing 5 is closed to the pipe 4. As soon as the fluid has attained an elevation in the tubing equivalent to the normal level within the casin 5, the valves 2 and-their cages 3 will automatically settle in their respective units, permitting the pressure from the casing to enter the tubing 4 above each of the cages 3 and into the column of liquid, forcing the liquidup the delivery tubing 4 until each of the valves and their cages are again caused to float by the rising fluid and again closing the gas pressure from the tubing. The automatic operation of the units in this manner sets up a reciprocation of the valves which function as pumps in the well. Each of the valves 2 and their cages 3 function together when actuated by the fluid'to intermittently receive fluid and then pressure into the tubing 4.

It has been found by actual use of these units in a well that a considerable savings of gas volume may be attained by the use of units above the normal fluid level of the well which are provided with means for normally closing the pressure ports 19. This means eliminates the escape of the pressure to the delivery pipe 4 before there is acolumn of fluid above the unit through which the pressure may pass. The method of normally holding the gas ports closed consists of a coil spring 24 adapted to resiliently hold the cage 3 against its stop 13, thus blocking the passages 19. Various structures may be used to serve this purpose, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. In Fig. 4 a coil spring 24 is carried within an elongation of the lock nut 18 and adapted to seat on a collar or internal annular rim 23 which is integral with the elongated skirt of the nut 18 and bear against a collar 21 which is made integral with or otherwise attached to the bell member 7' of the unit. The elongation 22 or skirt of the nut 18 is adapted to serve as a cylin-. drical container for the spring 24 and its lower rim 23 is slotted, as shown in Fig. 5, to facilitate assembly and to serve for tool engagement for screwing the nut 18 against the seat 1'7. The spring 24 is interposed between the shoulder 23 and the collar 21 so that the tension of the spring will normally hold the cage against its seats or stops 13 and 16 for closing the ports 19.

Fig. 6 shows a variation of the adaptation of the coil spring 24. In this instance the spring seat consists of a collar 25 screwed into the lower portion of the member 1 and the upper end of the spring engages the annular rim 12 of the cage 3 for supporting the cage 3 above the ports 19 and shutting oil the pressure to the unit. In this illustration the shoulder 13 is shown as a separate member which is screwed into the body 1 so that it may be renewed. The ports 19 may be drilled directly through the side walls of the member 1, as shown in Fig. 4, or they may consist of plugs 26 which are screwed into the walls and provided with various sizes of openings so that the size of the openings for the pressure may be varied.

Fig. 2 illustrates the use of both the spring controlled units and those depending solely upon the action of the fluid for opening and closing the pressure ports 19. The spring controlled units are preferably placed in the tubing above the normal fluid level of the well so that the pressure will not escape through the ports of a unit that does not have a column of fluid above its valve, as the unit A in Fig. 2. In this figure the lower units 13 are each supporting a full charge or. fluid which holds the valves 2 closed andpressure is passing through the ports 19 1 into the fluid, forcing the fluid up the tubing and above the unit 0. lThe spring controlled unit C, in this instance, has a suflicient column of fluid to overcome. the spring and the pressure is passing through its ports 19 and assistin the lift of the fluid. When the fluid is passed above the unit A until there is a sufliclent weight on the valve and cage of the unit A the ports 19 of this unit will remain closed. In this manner each unit will function in accordance with its 1 column weight of the fluid and the pressure admitted to its column, which causes a reciprocation of the valves and cages of each unit in a pumping'action for stage lifting of the fluid 1 from the well.

What I claim is:

1. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism comprising a delivery pipe, a plurality of valves interposed between sections of said pipe and adapted to intermittently retain a column 0! liql uid in said pipe and to admit a charge of pressure from said well into said column of fluid for lifting the same.

2. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism comprising a casing and a tubing therein, means 1 for maintaining pressure in said casing, a plurality of check valves carried at various elevations in said tubing for controlling the passage of the fluid therethrough, and means carried by said valves for admitting said pressure into the fluid for lifting the same from one valve to the other.

3. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism comprising a casing and a tubing therein; means for supplying pressure to said casing; a plurality of valves carried at various elevations in said tubing for controlling the passage of the fluid therethrough, and means cooperating with each valve for admitting said pressure to said liquid when a predetermined amount of fluid has passed above said individual valve.

4. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism consisting of a casing and a delivery pipe therein, means for maintaining pressure within said casing; a plurality of check valves carried in said pipe for controlling the passage of the fluid therethrough, said valves provided with cages adapted to be actuated by the passage of said fluid for opening and closing off the pressure to said fluid within said pipe, and resilient means for retarding the movement of said cages.

5. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism comprising a delivery pipe having a casing adapted to maintain pressure therein; a plurality of check valves carried in said pipe for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough, said valves provided with traveling cages adapted to control the pressure admitted to said pipe, and removable chokes carried in said cages for varying the volume of liquid flow through said check valves.

6. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism consisting of a well casing and a delivery pipe therein, means for supplying pressure in said casing; a plurality of check valves carried in said pipe for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough, and each of said valves being adapted to admit said pressure to said fluid when a predetermined amount of said fluid has passed above each individual valve.

7. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism consisting of a well casing having a delivery pipe therein, a plurality of check valves for controlling the passage of fluid through said pipe, said valves having traveling cages adapted to be actuated by said fluid to admit pressure from said casing to said pipe for liitingsaid fluid, and means for retarding the action of said cages.

8. In a well flowing and pumping mechanism consisting of a casing having a delivery pipe disposed therein, check valves carried in said pipe for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough, said valves having reciprocating cagesresiliently mounted in said pipe and adapted to admit pressure from said casing to said pipe for lifting said fluid, and means cooperating with said valves for controlling the volume of liquid passing through said pipe.

ROY C. WILLIAMSQN. 

